Bottoms Up White Branch Court

Now the weather outside is frightful...actually, not so much.  It is going to be 67 here today and for the past few days we have enjoyed 70s and 80s.  But, seeing as it is the Christmas season, I felt compelled to enjoy some hot, Cinnamon tea regardless of how balmy it is outside.  And then, I found this mug.  I'd almost forgotten about it but it is nothing short of perfection!  My buds in the White Branch Court cul-de-sac got this for me as a send off to Texas last year and they could not have picked a gift that more fit me to a T (or tea, pun intended).  So bottoms up to all my friends in the 'hood back home.  We could not have lived in a better place, on a better street with such amazing people!  Cheers!

Shoes off to you Casey! 

When Down, Heels will Lift You Up!

As you all know, my love of shoes is only rivaled by my love of the Georgia Bulldawgs.  I am super bummed about the loss yesterday.  We were rolling over the Tide and played like true BCS champions.  Unfortunately, three minutes before the end of the game, Bama rallied back...and despite our best efforts,and some horrible officiating throughout the game, we were not able to pull it out.  This is not just sour grapes here.  Nolan, who always blames the refs, fully agreed with me so my assessment of the officials was clearly correct.  That cheap shot to Aaron Murray's head was abysmal.  Luckily, Mark Richt is a class act and did not have the team go after the offender. (Mark my words - we will see this kid's name in headlines - being arrested for assault).   If Coach McClane were in the game, I am not so certain she would not hint to our players to take a couple of jabs at him in the pile. I digress... Hats off to the entire Bulldawg team!  You will always be #1 in my eyes.

So how do I get myself out of the doldrums of this crushing loss?  A good pair of heels.  That's right.  Heels can pick you up when you are feeling down - literally and figuratively.  Especially a sassy, fierce pair like the ones below!  They make me feel all warm and happy inside - the Snoopy dance kind of happy.  I feel better already!

Shoes off to you Casey!

 

One word for these shoes...AMAZING!

 

Peace for Casey

I love you Casey Elizabeth Wood!

January 25, 1993 - November 30, 2008

Perhaps the Most Awesome Boots...Ever

The perfect juxtaposition of my favorite things...The Georgia Bulldawgs and shoes.  It doesn't get any better than this! 

Shoe And Sheer Happiness!

So thrilled my Dawgs are heading to the SEC Championship! Sheer happinesss! And, oh of course there is shoe happiness associated with this monumentous occasion! I will be clicking up my heels in some super awesome UGA boots, Texas style! Yeehaw! Go Dawgs!

Has It Been This Long?

I am back once again...Hello from deep in the heart of Texas!  Since I last blogged, I have relocated to Flower Mound, Texas, just outside of Dallas!  And what a fashion and sports mecca if there ever was one!

A big hats off to my man Tim Gunn for his new book, "Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible."  It is a hardcover fashion history lesson that is laden with loads of humor!  He never ceases to dazzle me!

And, let's not talk Dawgs right now...It's not looking good against the Evil Genius' team...Rally against Spurrier Dawgs, rally! 

Signing off!   Shoes off to you Casey! 

P.S.  I can't wait to showcase my newest shoe purchase.  In one word - FIERCE! 

Counting down the days til Jacksonville with the little man! GO DAWGS!

SEC and...

So the Gamecocks finally canned Garcia after 5 suspensions! SHOCKING! That's not the MO for the Spurrier I know - and abhor! Had an amazing time in Chi-town the first weekend of this month...BAHGENS galore! $4K worth of stuff for $300! YIPPEE!! Oh, and the wedding was fab too! And, what an an amazing weekend I had with LM this weekend! He had a superb time and so did I! I miss that kiddo!

I'm Back!!!

Let the blogging begin!

I am glad I have my shoe quotes...

They help me remember things! Like this one:

"There were times when I'd go, 'This outfit would look so badass with stilettos.' You wanted those four-inch, heels, those wrappy, strappy, show-off-your-pedicure shoes." Cameron Diaz


Thanks Cameron! Time to schedule a pedicure for the beach trip this Saturday! Where was this quote when I went to Charleston for my anniversary this weekend? Whoops! Badass is not a phrase I would use when describing myself...Saggy ass, no?

Shoes off to you Casey!

CHARLOTTE: I have the most terrible fear of heights.

CARRIE: I do not. You've seen my shoes.

Therein lies the problem...I too have a HORRIBLE fear of heights (Went to the top of Notre Dame but couldn't look out too far because I was clinging to the building...the Eiffel Tower was AMAZING from below...Big Sur and US 1 were great if I opened my eyes (BUT have you SEEN those cliffs?)...you get the picture - very sad...) But yet I LOVE 2 1/2+ inch shoes...Do you think that from this profound quote, I might (or can) be cured from this overwhelming fear? I do elevate myself to unnatural heights...IN SHOES! Where did this overwhelming fear of heights stem from? (Possibly from my visit to Ghosttown in the Glen and was left dangling on a sky lift by an incompetent carnival worker at age 4...hmmmmm) Talk amongst yourselves...

P.S. Pop (or Super Pop as I prefer to refer to him regarding the incident) jumped up, off the ground, 10-feet to push me in the basket of the skylift with my sisters...You hear of people lifting cars off of their children? My dad did the equivalent of a Michael Jordan leap on steroids to save me from a fall...Thanks Pop - for all of the times you told me to "Go play in the traffic," you still chose to save me from the skylift!

Shoes off to you Casey!

Welcome Back...To Me!

I'm baaaaack! Okay, that was WAY too cliche!

So, I may be only blogging to myself now since it has been literally 7 months and 2 days since I have last blogged...My droves of fans (all 3 of them) have moved on to bigger and better blogs...Much like at home when I discuss the world's issues and how I am appalled that a person could wear such horrible shoes with such a sassy outfit(NOTE: these are conversations with myself - and yes, I answer back), I am talking (okay typing) to myself...

Obviously, a lot has gone on since my last blog...Losing my sweet, precious ^Casey^ was and continues to be the hardest thing I have ever had to face...but in my mind, she is looking down upon me with flowing wings and the most fabulous pair of Christian Louboutins on...Or maybe she interchanges them with Jimmy Choo's or Manolos...My girl loved her some shoes! And, she loved laughing and my humor (occasionally) so I think she'd be happy I have gotten back to writing my blog again...Even if it is to myself!

So, since November, I have only acquired a pawltry three pair of shoes. Considering the state of the economy (make that my bank account), that is pretty darn good. Mark scored me some smokin' Donald J Pliner Couture (YES! Couture), point toe slingbacks for...hold your breath and bite your bottom lip like Clinton...$24.99! I have taught him well - He took a cell phone picture and sent it to me -- knows I LOVE this designer -- and told me to give the thumbs up...Thumbs, pinkies and toes up, I did! Apparently the $6 an hour salesclerk, chewing gum and with an attitude mismarked them. (Just like her "twin" at another store did with the Michael Kors high, mohair clogs...although twin clerk did better and marked them down to $10!) I LOVE a mismark...And he paid for those shoes along with another sassy pair of purple 9 West ankle boots he found too (they sound strange...I am usually NOT the 9 West type either but this was their "higher end" line and the shoes are purple suede with a touch of attitude, a folded open front and some flair.) Again, only paid $24.99 for those puppies too! I love a bargain! Love my husband for being in tune with my love of shoes!

Before I leave with a quote (about shoes of course), I must ask a rhetorical question...better yet, you can answer me. My inner-Bulldawg is rearing its ugly head today...Here goes...Should I be concerned that we are expending a lot of money for an Engineering degree from an ACC school (okay, Clemson) when said beneficiary buys his father a HUGE ASS (oops!) (WHOMPER) grill and thinks he can put it in the back of his 2003 Grand Am?...I'm just sayin'...Now me, the Journalism/Political Science/Literature major would've kinda thought that taking my Suburban to pick up the grill would make more sense (from a pure engineering perspective) but hey, that's just me...I digress...

I decided to pick a quote from one of my and Casey's favorites ("Fields of Gold")...the indelible, talented artist Sting...

"The qualities I find sexy in a person include intelligence, humor, and really good shoes." Sting

I have all of those qualities and then some (irreverance, sarcasm, inappropriate laughter, I could go on...) So in my mind, he thinks I am pretty darn sexy...I jest... REALLY, I jest!

So my new sign off for today is "Shoes off to Casey...Here's to you kiddo!"

Out of Practice...

So I pledged to myself that I would attempt to blog every day...at a minimum, every other day...Well, like my pledge to diet and pledge to exercise and pledge to be kind to others and pledge to not judge others when they have SEVERE shoe and/or fashion emergencies, that pledge has gone by the wayside...

So I will blog when I can (and that is more not than often...)

Shoe quotes:

"Some of us are boot girls. Others - The Goody Two-shoes of this world - are not." Catherine Wilson, Harper's Bazaar

I am obviously not a Goody Two-shoes girl. Who'da thunk that, right? I LOVES me some boots!

"The best compliment anyone could pay me is that they wore my shoes to death." Patrick Cox

Most people aspire to be President...of a company, not THAT President. Who'd want to be that in these days and times, right? Or maybe they aspire to be an acclaimed writer...or the developer of a cure for a currently incurable disease. Me? Shoe designer or clothing designer TOPS my list...Shallow as it may sound, it is my desire to provide fabulous clothes and shoes for all to wear so they get TREMENDOUS compliments for their fashion acumen and thus, their self-esteem is raised and they will no longer need to visit their therapists and instead, use their money saved to invest in the US economy and help to conquer the country's deficit - thus stimulating growth world-wide. There you have it...I think I just solved the world's economic crisis. Would love for anyone to wear my clothes or shoes to death...Stabilizing the economy, world peace and a more fashionable planet, what more could you ask for?

Sporadic Blogging...A Good Thing or Not? Talk Amongst Yourselves...

Gator Hide Makes Some GREAT SHOES!

Well, my beloved Dawgs are down in J-ville playing the Rural Oscars (okay - Urban Meyers' team...get my joke? There is no opposite to Meyer or Mayer or Myer so I thought Oscar would get a good laugh)...Okay, I know - there are 100,000 comedians out of work and you get me, right?... Too bad....And, oh, GO DAWGS! We SO want to chew up some Gator tail this weekend! I want Tebow (he's gonna get the knee & 'bow today)to go down...Speaking of gator tails, have you ever had them? They are yummy by the way (or perhaps it is the sheer satisfaction of tearing into a gator makes it all that much better?) I digress...

I have two good shoe quotes for you today...again, all three of you. I am thinking this is becoming a personal journal for me and that no one really looks at this site...which is cool in a creepy kind of "I am talking to myself while a couple of other people observe" kind of way...OH WELL! Send me your diagnosis codes and the bill...I am trying to attain Jen Lancaster acclaim but have not had any success but am still trying anyway...Very sad...

Here goes with the quotes...

1972: The first woman falls off her cork sandals. Millions follow. Vogue

MY COMMENT: I have NEVER fallen down in cork sandals (the picture on the calendar is of a "healthy" wedge corked heel)...Okay, Ms. 1972, are you uncoordinated or what? Okay platform black sandals at a Motley Crue/Def Leopard concert in 2007 (or was it 2006)on a hill at Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre are another story...Thank GOD for my belt that Mark and Kelly (while Mark was in the bathroom) could hold onto so I didn't ski down the hill...What was I thinking? I wasn't and it was all about fashion by the way...cute shorts, an adorable pale pink Dave Matthews tank and the platform sandals...Okay now eeeeewwwwwwww! I shudder to think about the look (I had a great tan, I know, but that has a little bit of a redneck/hoochie vibe to it! It was tasteful/very appropriate at the time...I think?) I can only hope it was not too bad....

It's over for me. Here lies Carrie. She has two loves and lots 'o shoes.Carrie, Sex and the City

MY COMMENT: Here lies Mary (rhymes with Carrie - how weird is that?) She has ONE love (Mark - kiss, kiss hon!) and lots o' shoes (and purses and clothes and clutter and knick knacks and basic crap and oh, kids...um, I could go on with the list)...

Did I tell you I gave away MORE shoes...to a charity in Haiti...I am thrilled and feel so fulfilled getting rid of those shoes I don't wear (many of my shoes were unworn) AND I sent cleats, kids' tennis shoes, girls flip flops and all (Nolan, Casey and her buddy provided more shoes for those in need! They were ready and willing to contribute - makes me so proud!)...So now I am down to just 100 (or so) pair...I have not really replenished my shoe stash.(I did get a pair of tennis shoes since I was borrowing Casey's)..It feels pretty darn good...But I am itching for a navy blue pair o' shoes...Must....resist...urge!

Have a great weekend - Life is short, buy the shoes!

It Has Been Almost Two Months...

Since I have blogged last! My apologies to my adoring fans...all 3 of them! Life has been crazy!I am still in mourning that one in our fold is now at Clemson (how did that happen? - I did everything a mother could but alas, he went to the dark side...I can so empathize with Darth Vader's mom.) But I still love shoes and the Dawgs (#10 and playing Vandy today - it's Homecoming). Will be going on an overnight camping trip with the Cub Scouts this evening and of course am trying to figure out how to wear stylish shoes and be comfortable too (TO HECK WITH COMFORT)...Although, I don't want a repeat of the "Great Soccer Debaucle of '08" in which my stylish spiked heels got caught in the grass with a bunch of crazed 10-year-old boys kicking at me while I hyperextended my knee and earned my way to the orthopedist office...But I did continue playing after said injury occurred. I like to think of myself as being tough as nails. You gotta have style on the field though.

So I have some shoe quotes that I know you all have been waiting for...so here goes..

"If a boot doesn't make you feel sexy, it's not working." Stella McCartney, designer

...(and Paul's daughter)...I don't know Stella...I was feeling pretty un-sexy hobbling around Gold Hill's soccer field in the injury-inducing boots...But one dad pointed out I was doing a service and aerating the school's lawn and volunteering is pretty sexy so, yes, maybe my boots did that for me...Not!

"What's the rule that says you can only buy one pair of shoes at a time? I mean, it's so arbitrary." Sophie Kinsella, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan

...I never heard of that rule and you didn't either Mark.

"Wearing high heels to the ball made it fashionable to teeter and fall." French Poet

...Is is fashionable to teeter and fall say, in the grocery store? At a PTO meeting? On a Scout campout? Talk amongst yourselves...

"If the shoe doesn't fit, must we change the foot?" Gloria Steinem

...Okay, I am all for women's rights and all but hey, if the shoe doesn't fit, maybe your feet are too big? Maybe some foot taping is in order! HA!

AND FINALLY...

"Always wear expensive shoes. People notice." Brian Koslow

...I hate to admit it but I had to look up Mr. Koslow because I had not heard of him...He's an author and an entrpreneur and a pretty darn smart person in my opinion. I am with you Koslow! You can tell when someone is wearing Louboutin, Prada, Manolos...their feet look smoking!

Okay - I am getting the stink eye here because my wonderful husband is getting everything together for the campout and I am blogging...when I should be showering...have a soccer game to get to...what shoes should I wear?

So...

So, college football has officially started (TONIGHT!) and we've got games ALL over the place....I am TOTALLY PSYCHED! I am attempting to begin to commence to pledge that I will partake in no actions that will get me banned to the patio outside my house...by Mark...stating my actions are unbecoming of a parent...and send the wrong message to the kids...I'll try my best (I think the Florida game is exempt from this stipulation...) AM CERTAIN I have a major blip (e.g., HUGE SPIKE!) in the blood pressure from late August until January 1st (or 2nd through 10th when they STREEEEEEEEEEETCH the championship out - was last season NOT insane???)

Well, would like to impart a WONDERFUL quote from my friend (okay, I know his name) Andre Leon Talley, editor at large for Vogue...Here goes...

"Manolo creates visual poems for women's feet. Some women desire fabulous jewels; others think of his shoes as jewels for the feet."

Are you kidding me? WHO DOES NOT THINK MANOLOS ARE JEWELS FOR THE FEET? Visual poems?...they are the virtual tapestry upon which creativity is woven...(Note to self: Copyright that phrase)...Art...TOTAL art...beautiful art...

I sooooo love shoes!

P.S. -- People Magazine and Lucky Magazine have their "SHOE" issue this month...Check them out! Life is short...buy MORE shoes!

Fifth Grader for Sale and...Work and Home and Kids - oh my!

Okay, I am seriously thinking about hanging a "For Sale" sign on the fifth grader...you'd think he was an adolescent girl with all the whining that is going on with him....HELLO, 1998? I want my sweet, adorable, compliant, pleasant infant child back (who thinks I hung the moon, never complains and smiles at me incessantly)....

Work...and home...and kids, oh my! Work...and home...and kids, oh my! (Think: Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!...If you don't know what I am referencing, get those pull-ups on and go to bed right now Ms./Mr. Toddler...you are too young to get this and to be reading this...My life is a cycle of three things...Work, home (disrepair, cleaning, stench) and then the kids (disrepair, cleaning, stench)...no lie...I don't think I can remember when I actually have had a moment to myself lately...except for in the bathroom and ONLY when I have locked the door...it appears that a blinking "The Psychiatrist is In" sign is on my bathroom door...have finally learned that by turning that bronze doo-hicky on the door knob works wonders for my own sanity....

I am an exhausted mess right now as is my house...The hubby's birthday was one week ago today and I am still, up to this minute, scraping inches of fondant off of our stove that Jessa made to top his birthday cake...explains the teams of ants cheering at me when I edge my way to the stove (under the singed microwave) - somehow, they think it was a purposeful doing - like I wanted them to stay because fondant lasts...oh.... 1000 YEARS! HELLO????? ...the cheers quieted when they saw the industrial strength 409 I am wielding at my hip...I am convinced I need a jack hammer to get this crap off or perhaps a pressure washer...I will have this stuff off no later than Christmas - I am totally ambitious and optimistic...

So, today was the first day of school...no new shoes for the kids (they got them weeks ago so they could break them in and not appear to be totally uncool...)but I have some great shoe quotes from that AWESOME shoe calendar that I LOVE!

"Hi, I'm not here but my shoes are, so leave them a message." Carrie's answering machine, Sex and the City.Okay, enough said.

Perhaps I would add a "I'm not here and neither is my mind..." but other than that, this quote is perfection.

"High heels are pride and privilege, the passkey to decadence." -- Karen Heller

Karen, I agree with you...high heels are decadence (and probably wreck-a-dance too...have you ever been in gorgeous, but uncomfortable shoes dancing? That's sure to wreck that dance, right??? Instant cankles, blisters and piggy feet - ugly combination!)

"I much prefer being a man. Women have to spend so much time pulling themselves together, and their shoes kill your feet." --- Shirley Booth

Hmmmmm - love me some shoes regardless of the pain factor. Not sure about being the man thing - although would love more time to sleep in so maybe that wouldn't be so bad...But, there is something to be said about pain and having great shoes...who cares about the pain as long as your feet look good?

Am Waiting for the Next Shoe to Drop

So I basically have had the last 10 days from you know where...First of all, I get a call at 8:01 a.m. last Friday - first to the cell and then to the office phone which is never a good sign...A frantic Casey greeted me and said, "Um mom....there's been an accident." Four letter words flew through my feeble mind..."Uh, see, we were trying to fry churros on the stove and well, uh, a fire broke out and we called the fire department and everything is okay, we just threw water on it (SIDE NOTE: EGADS - on the ELECTRIC STOVE)...and so it went out, but then restarted, but then we got it out again...And well, uh, we kinda melted the microwave..." The EXPENSIVE(AND we got 50-75% off) stainless steel almost BRAND NEW microwave (it was maybe 4 months old)...okay at least no one was hurt, we are not being sued (from the family of Casey's friends who were at our home that morning) and the house did not burn down...wait a minute, safety aside, I'd love for this house to go up in flames so that we can start over again - the floor plan is horrible....oh well...Again, no one was hurt!

Fast forward to Tuesday (uh, 4 days later)...I get a pleasant invitation after work from Mark to go out to dinner with him and Jessa and the Green Day guitar-playing boyfriend, would Mexican food be okay, blah, blah,blah...On my way home, little did I know ANOTHER disaster was about to strike...Apparently, Jess had picked up a rock and was tossing it in her hands while they were outside waiting for me to come home from work...are you seeing where this is going? Uh, well said rock was accidentally hurled into the window of Mark's car (uh not the windshield - that according to SC law would be replaced at no cost...!*@#()%(@&(WD*A)*F! - could she have not hit the windshield?) and the window shattered into about 14,000 miniature shards of glass...and the hubby was cleaning up upon my return...for probably 45 minutes in complete silence (which ensued the entire evening!)...when the torrential rain storm hit...and we only had Scotch (TM - TRADE MARK) tape to seal the trash bag-donned window...I became the brain trust (scary) and recommended that we back the car in to shield the "vulnerable" side from the rain and horrible winds...well, thank God it worked...The window was replaced the next day (and was almost $100 less than we were quoted by another company...BUT IT WAS STILL EXPENSIVE - yet, there was a light to this story!)

So, other things happened to create the triumverate of things that are supposed to happen when you have bad luck so I chalked them up to that...

On a brighter note, Casey and Nolan arrived home safely from Edisto Island! I haven't seen Nolan for more than 6 weeks and he is 4 inches taller and probably 15 pounds heavier...he actually looks like a 5th grader now! I am walking on air to be with him...and Casey informed me she has a boyfriend (what?) He lives in Greenville and they met at camp but have just become an item "recently." THANK GOD he lives a couple hundred miles away...I am not ready for this!

Well, before I go upstairs to join them in a PS2 karoake game (I will SOOOOO BEAT THEM - although I am not successful on our Wii Guitar Hero), I must leave you with some great quotes...

"I like to literally put women on a pedestal." Vivienne Westwood, shoe designer

And girl, you do that and clothe them FABULOUSLY! My girl Gwen (uh, Stefani for your newbees) LOVES her some Vivienne...She is fantastic!

"It's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes - that's why you sometimes need really special shoes!" Carrie, Sex and the City

Okay Carrie, I sorta remember your angst at being single (short-lived)...but, you can't compare needing special shoes to us working moms who are on our feet all day and then run around all night getting kids ready for school the next day, doing laundry, doing dishes, etc...need I say more? I am hoping that Manolo or Jimmy C will come out with an affordable, comfortable everyday wear shoe for working moms...okay, I am hopping off of my pedestal now...

Life is short, buy the shoes...Cheer on my Dawgs!

IS THIS A CRUEL JOKE?

WHAT???????????????????????? President Bush is pre-empting the Dr. Phil show TODAY OF ALL DAYS...on the one of two mornings I am off from work in the morning! And, it's a new episode too...

These things I know...

I know the economy STINKS.

I know gas prices SUCK.

I know the housing market is HORRIBLE.

I know that Mark and I don't make enough money to raise our ZOO.

I know we probably need to get second and third jobs to pay for their band activities, private lessons, COLLEGE, uh, can you say food and shelter?

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bail out...I know about it and I GET IT.

But what I don't know is what the result was of the smack down by the mom who wanted the registered sex offender out of her daughter's home...I AM ALL ABOUT THE DRAMA PEOPLE...Speak to me Phil...

Okay, I AM an admitted, capital "L" donning LOSER.